What is the most common soda everyone drinks? People’s preferences tend to go toward Diet Coke, considering the wide range of flavors modified from the original Coca Cola. For those who enjoy Diet Coke, concerns sprang up this summer about the detrimental effects of its high content of artificial sweetener. The question remains, did these reports have any effect on people’s opinions of Diet Coke?

It’s no secret that Diet Coke, or any other cola for that matter, has never been good for you. This summer, considerable research was conducted on one of the primary components of any sugar-free and calorie-free drink, the artificial sweetener aspartame. They discovered that this specific sweetener was linked to an increased risk of cancer, including breast cancer and obesity-related cancer.

It is important to remember that when these stories broke, consumers were solely concerned with the fact that the component was found in Diet Coke. It’s crucial to remember that many products nowadays are sugar-free, including gum and other artificially sweetened products.

Knowing this information is unlikely to discourage many lovers from purchasing this drink. Regardless of the probability of carcinogens, the reasonable way to approach this knowledge is to keep it in mind and, if you drink on a daily basis, reduce your consumption to a moderate quantity or avoid it entirely. It’s okay to have a Diet Coke now and then, just like it’s okay to have a sweet treat. The idea of all of this is to recognize that most things everyone appreciates have drawbacks. By learning how to manage intake, these products can still be enjoyed.

Here are some thoughts from ILS seniors, Daniela Quiros and Carlos Aldecoa.

From a different angle, one can imagine how the ILS community and other businesses would be impacted if aspartame sugar posed a serious health risk, given that it is a less expensive option.

Dean of Students, Mr. James Rydborn, shared some ideas on the matter and how he believes students should approach this information:

“If one were to ban or remove Diet Coke from schools, you would also have to take out a lot of other items that could contain something similar. Our school and SAGE Dining do a great job with the food they provide, but I’m sure many of the condiments and sauces probably contain additives such as aspartame. It’s a cheaper alternative than purchasing sauces that may use natural sweetness, which even though may be healthier for you, is a lot more expensive.”

Should students be informed of the situation and examine alternatives?

Mr. Rydborn provided some advice:

“Of course. But this is the same generation that is happy to inhale fumes and various other ingredients found in vapes that have been studied for maybe the last 5-10 years, as opposed to a substance that has been heavily researched over a much longer period.”

This information will have no impact on ILS’ DoS because he is not a soda drinker, but rather a coffee person— straight black and no sugar, for which other teachers and staff may identify. This information would have no effect on what he is doing now.

Adults and teenagers, the best suggestion is to limit your sugar intake from this sweetener to no more than twice a week. Take the knowledge as you will now that you are aware of the risks and are informed, but always remember to take care of your health and never go too crazy over a can of soda.